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'Something inside me was very compelled to do it': Teacher donates kidney to co-worker

Teacher learns she's match for fellow teacher with kidney failure

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Updated: 7:48 AM PST Feb 15, 2020

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COWORKER. THE TWO ARE LOCAL TEACHERS. WMUR’S TIM CALLERY HAS THEIR STORIES. TIM: THE TWO ARE TEACHERS HERE AT THE CENTER WOODS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WORK ACROSS THE HALL FROM ONE ANOTHER. JEN GUILLEMETTE IS A PRESCHOOL TEACHER HERE. SHE WENT INTO KIDNEY FAILURE IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR AND WAS PLACED ON THE DONOR WAITING LIST. THAT’S WHEN HER FRIEND AND COWORKER SHERRI DYER CAME IN. SHE OFFERED TO BE TESTED TO SEE IF SHE WAS A MATCH AND SHE WAS. THE TWO HAD SURGERY AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL IN BOSTON JUST TWO WEEKS AGO. AND TONIGHT, THEY SAY THEY ARE BOTH DOING GREAT. SHERRI SAYS SHE DIDN’T THINK TWICE ABOUT BECOMING A DONOR AND WOULD DO IT AGAIN IF SHE COULD. >> SOMETHING INSIDE ME WAS VERY COMPELLED TO DO IT AND HONESTLY I FELT INSIDE IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND I DON’T KNOW WHY. IT WAS AN INTRINSIC FEELING AND WE RAN WITH IT. YEAH, TO AN A HALF WEEKS AGO IT WAS DONE. >> SHE’S NEVER MADE ME FEEL GUILTY IN ANY WAY. EVERY TIME I HAVE SAID, YOU NEED TO THINK THIS THROUGH, SHE SAID YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. SHE HAS BEEN AN AMAZING PERSON. TIM: TODAY IS ACTUALLY NATIONAL DONOR DAY. SHERRI AND JEN SAY THEY WANTED TO SHARE THEIR STORY TO HOPEFULLY INSPIRE SOMEONE TO DONATE AN ORGAN IF THEY

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'Something inside me was very compelled to do it': Teacher donates kidney to co-worker

A New Hampshire woman is giving the gift of life to a co-worker by donating her kidney. Jennifer Guillemette and Sherri Dyer are teachers who work across the hall from each other at Center Woods Elementary School.Guillemette, who teaches preschool, went into kidney failure in February 2019 and was placed on the donor waiting list. That's when Dyer stepped in and offered to be tested to see if she was a match."Sherri was the first one," Guillemette said. "She immediately went through testing and she was like, 'Jen, I'm giving you my kidney. This is all going to work out.'"The two had surgery two weeks ago at Massachusetts General Hospital. They both said they are feeling great.Dyer said she didn't think twice about becoming a donor and would do it again if she could. "Something inside me was very compelled to do it, and honestly, I felt inside that it was going to happen, and I don't know why," Dyer said. "It was just an intrinsic feeling, and we went with it and ran with it. And two and a half weeks ago, it was done.""She's never made me feel guilty in any way," Guillemette said. "Every time, I'm like, 'Really, you need to think this through.' She's like: 'What are you talking about? This is what I'm doing.' So she's just an amazing person."The two say the experience has strengthened their bond. They now call each other kidney sisters. "We named the kidney Sydney," Dyer said. "Sydney the Kidney is doing very well in Jen."Related video: Wife donates kidney to husband for Valentine's Day

WEARE, N.H. —

A New Hampshire woman is giving the gift of life to a co-worker by donating her kidney.

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Jennifer Guillemette and Sherri Dyer are teachers who work across the hall from each other at Center Woods Elementary School.

Guillemette, who teaches preschool, went into kidney failure in February 2019 and was placed on the donor waiting list. That's when Dyer stepped in and offered to be tested to see if she was a match.

"Sherri was the first one," Guillemette said. "She immediately went through testing and she was like, 'Jen, I'm giving you my kidney. This is all going to work out.'"

The two had surgery two weeks ago at Massachusetts General Hospital. They both said they are feeling great.

Dyer said she didn't think twice about becoming a donor and would do it again if she could.

"Something inside me was very compelled to do it, and honestly, I felt inside that it was going to happen, and I don't know why," Dyer said. "It was just an intrinsic feeling, and we went with it and ran with it. And two and a half weeks ago, it was done."

"She's never made me feel guilty in any way," Guillemette said. "Every time, I'm like, 'Really, you need to think this through.' She's like: 'What are you talking about? This is what I'm doing.' So she's just an amazing person."

The two say the experience has strengthened their bond. They now call each other kidney sisters.

"We named the kidney Sydney," Dyer said. "Sydney the Kidney is doing very well in Jen."